Congressman Reichert's Vote Against Minimum Wage Is Out Of Step With Voters And Moderate GOP Colleagues
Congressman Reichert's Vote Against Minimum Wage Is Out Of Step With Voters And Moderate GOP Colleagues
Despite moderate GOP move to vote on increasing the federal minimum wage, Reichert continues to vote against interests of nation's poorest working families
In an interesting turn of events, a group of 25 moderate Republicans in Washington, DC sent a letter to House Majority Leader John Boehner requesting a vote to increase the federal minimum wage. With several GOP incumbents facing competitive challengers in the upcoming campaign season, the vote was a symbolic, non-binding measure intended to provide vulnerable GOP candidates with a yes vote they could tout to voters in their districts. Sixty-four Republicans voted yes and the measure passed 260-159. Congressman Dave Reichert joined with other conservative Republicans and voted against the measure.
The federal minimum wage is currently $5.15 an hour and has not been increased since 1997. Full-time workers earning minimum wage make lesst han $11,000 a year, a wage well below the federal poverty line. Democrats in Congress have been trying to increase the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour but until now GOP leaders have blocked their efforts.
"Congressman Reichert comes from a state whose voters overwhelmingly passed a statewide initiative to boost Washington's minimum wage and make it the highest in the nation," stated Darcy Burner, Congressional candidate in Washington's 8th district. "I would love to know why Reichert feels that working families in the rest of the nation don't deserve the
same."
Labor leaders in Washington also reacted strongly to the news of Reichert's vote.
"Bottom line - Dave Reichert is more in touch with Bush and conservative GOP leaders than with the voters in his district," said Rick Bender, President of the Washington State Labor Council. "Even when his fellow Republicans get on board in support of the increase, he doesn't budge. It's unconscionable."
To keep the momentum going, Congressman John Barrow is sponsoring a discharge petition demanding that the minimum wage vote goes to a full floor vote. Congressman Mike Shays, who was one of the 25 Republicans to sign the letter to Boehner, has already signed on.
"Reichert doesn't get it," continued Bender. "But when November comes and Darcy wins, maybe then he'll understand that it's not okay to ignore the needs of working families in our nation. The voters in his district get it, and the moderate Republicans in Congress get it. But Reichert doesn't get it at all."
http://www.darcyburner.com/pressreleases.php